An alternative supercritical fluid extraction system for aqueous matrices and its application in pesticides residue analysis

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a rapid and convenient method for the isolation of organic compounds from environmental samples. This paper describes a supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction system that uses a newly designed extraction cell to recover organic compounds from an aqueous matrix. Analysis of the extracts by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) indicated that the herbicide trifluralin (2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-trifluoromethylaniline) could be quantitatively extracted by using the SFE system proposed with small amounts of sample. The percentage of recovery obtained with the SFE system described was twice as high as the result obtained using a conventional solid-phase extraction technique. Extraction by SFE was completed in a short period of time using a simple and low-cost home-made system that did not require the use of organic solvents.